Expectant moms are finding out about an unspoken 'stench' and are asking for a refund
"Cries in 3rd trimester."
Expectant moms are asking for a refund after learning of 'the stench'
No one has ever said that having a baby is easy. In fact, many people will happily tell you how difficult it is to not only get through the birthing process but the first few months after giving birth as well. But there's something that happens during the immediate days after giving birth to a human that is so foul that no one talks about it.
It's the quietest kept secret of child birth and it may not be because other moms don't want to share all the ins and outs of postpartum. In all honesty, it's probably not talked about out of sheer embarrassment and confusion on if they're the only person this has happened to because they also were not warned.
But thanks to social media, more seasoned moms and medical professionals are ripping the metaphoric curtains back to let the sun shine on this totally normal part of having a baby.
Sarah Biggers-Stewart does a weekly series called "Taboo Tuesday" where she talks about the more sensitive topics of parenting and womanhood. In one of her recent videos discussing postpartum someone writes, "that postpartum STANK omg. Was not prepared. Stewart created a video response to elaborate on the awful smell that comes after having a baby.
"I know it sounds grotesque because it is grotesque. And it really didn't matter what I did, the smell followed me for weeks. I'd use the bathroom and the smell would hang in the air to the point where I would tell my husband don't go in there," Stewart confesses.
This isn't something that's unique to these two moms that should probably be discussed in hushed tones over crying newborns. No, this is an actual thing that happens to a lot of women but just isn't talked about. Everyone's favorite labor and delivery nurse, Jen Hamilton was summoned by commenters to ease the fears of expectant moms. Alas, Hamilton had no ease to give, instead, she delivered the honest, smelly truth.
@thebiggersthebetter Replying to @beca_1_c i wish i was lying but im not and women need to be prepared 🙈 #postpartum #givingbirth #postpartumrecover #girltalk #momtips #realtalk #momlife #protips #havingbabies #thirdtrimester #firsttimemom #newbaby #grwm #chattygrwm #babytalk
"Postpartum stink. I'm sorry to tell you, it's a thing," Hamilton starts her video reply. "Since we're talking about it–the stench. You will have an aroma about your biscuit that you can't help. Ain't nothing to be ashamed of, ain't nothing to be afraid of. It's just the way that it is."
She goes on to reassure the curious that it's not something that will be obvious to other people but that it will be most noticeable to the person who just had the baby. Hamilton also warns expectant moms to not be alarmed when the smell stays around for weeks. So what does this unspoken aroma smell like?
"The smell. If pennies were organic, meaning made out of actual living tissue and that tissue was dying and rotting. Am I selling you yet," asks Hamilton. "It's just a specific smell and you really just don't understand until you get there, you know? It will go away though, okay."
The videos were like a bat signal summoning the seasoned moms to enter the chat to confirm the weird stench exists, likely further horrifying the already horrified moms to be.
One mom writes "Omg I thought I had an infection when I smelled the postpartum smell. I was slightly worried."
Another mom chimes in, "death it smells like death. Currently 2 weeks postpartum."
"I smelled like a bag of onions...my entire body," one person writes. While another woman reveals, "it smells like a rotten forgotten menstrual product. It's been 5 years and that smell still haunts me.
@_jen_hamilton_ Replying to @Maggie
This nostril opening revelation has expectant moms and hopeful moms alike declaring they've changed their minds on children. Some have gone as far as to ask for a refund.
"38 weeks, how do I go about getting a refund," a commenter asks.
"Cries in 3rd trimester," someone writes.
"36 weeks here and I think I'm more scared of postpartum than delivery," another expectant mom expresses.
While no one enjoys talking about the uncomfortably personal side of giving birth and everything that happens after, it's a long overdue conversation. Armed with this information, expectant moms can talk to their doctors beforehand about the odor to get clarity on when the smell may indicate an infection that requires a visit.
In the end, it's best for the information to be out there so there are far fewer new moms suffering in silence thinking something is gravely amiss.
- The adventures of being a new mom, told through 18 hilarious comics. ›
- Overwhelmed new mother hears the perfect parenting advice from her mom on doorbell cam ›
- New mom shares list of 'icks' and other new parents are nodding hard in agreement ›
- This hack promises to get rid of shirt armpit stains, but does it - Upworthy ›
- The dissociation that can happen post-birth may have a name - Upworthy ›
Beaver in water. Photo by 
An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."